Cryptographal table



(No Model.)

J. L. WINNBA. GRYPTOGRAPHAL TABLE.

Patentedfeb. 26,1884.

N. PETERS PholLngwgmpher. wnshmgmn. D. c

- umns of letters, gures, or words, which may` i NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. WINNEA, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CRYPTOGRAPHAL TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,175, dated February 26, 1884.

Application filed January 315'8z2. (No model.) v

T0 all whom, it may concern: Y

Be it'known that I, J oHN LWINNEA, of the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Cryptographic Tables; and I hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to cryptograms, and to al means for constructing tables for secret correspondence or other similar purposes; and it consists of a series of vertical columns of arbitrarily-selected letters, words, or figures, and in connection with these of alternate numbers and blank spaces arranged transversely above the columns, or line numbers or spaces arranged vertically upon opposite sides of the columns, so that by permutations of the words or symbols many different tables may be constructed with corresponding keys for the same,

as will be more fully explained by reference` to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures l, 2, and 3, Tables l, 2, and 3, are views showing alternate figures and spaces above, also line-figures at the right, and cor responding blanks at the left, only the first and last lines of a table being shown. Fig. 4, Table 4, shows a table of words with gures at the sides, above and below, only the rst and lastlines of these being shown. Fig. 5, Table 5, shows one of the broken lines for constructing telegrams.

In Figs. l, 2, 3 I have shown vertical colbe arranged alphabetically or in any desired manner, and containing as many words or symbols as it may be necessary or desirable to use. In the present case I have shown the first three or four and last two lines of columns, from one to ten, numbered in a horizontal line abovethe columns. By the side of each of these numbers is a blank space,withi,n which any other number less than ten and not the same may be written in constructing a cipher, as will be hereinafter described. Upon the left side of the table is a column of figures opposite the words or symbols in the table, and by which the lines are numbered, and upon the right side corresponding blank spaces,in which other numbers may be written when a cipher is constructed. In the present case I have made two blank columns, each corresponding with alternate horizontal lines of words in the columns, in order to give plenty of space to write in the numbers.

In constructing a cipher to be used the blank spaces at the heads of the columns are each filled in with any of the first ten figures, but not in the same order as those which are printed there. These figures may be drawn by lot, placed arbitrarily, or in any'irregular order. In the same manner the blank figurecolumns at the right of the table may be filled in with numbers which differ in the order in which they are placed from those at the left, but are also within the same range. The words, phrases, or sentences which are to constitute the cipher are then decided upon, and the letters, figures, words, or symbols which are to correspond with them are selected from the columnsof the table. It will be manifest that each of these words or symbols will be located by its position in the columns from one to ten, when these column figures are employed to designate them, or by the horizontal line-gures when the latter are to-be used. Either set of figures may thus be employed in constructing the cipher. The key will be made by taking the letters, words, or symbols in the lines of the blank spaces where the figures have been written in, as before described, and thus making a new and different table. Both tables having been completed, the words, sentences, or parts of sentences, represented by the symbols in the columns of the printed numerals, will have their corresponding cipher in the columns where the numerals have been inserted. Two copies of the tables are thus made, or one for each correspondent. The operation will then be as follows: The matter is rst written out in full. I

Vthen look in the tables for the first word, and

if the whole word cannot be found I take syllables or parts of it, as found in the diiferent columns,` and then take the cipher of each item and set them down in the order required. For instance, if the rst word is pausa I nd it in table two under printed number 7. I then follow the same line out tothe column-of the inserted number 7, which in the present case may be next to the printed column number l0, and I nd that y k is the corresponding cipher. If I need a word which is not in the IOO 2 y comma tables, I take separate parts from different columns, and nd the ciphers in the same man ner as for the words, and proceed thus until all the matter has been Written. The correspondent, upon receiving the cipher letter or message, reverses the operation and thus deciphers it. If the line-numbers be used instead of the column-numbers, I iind my matter bythe line-numbers upon the left-hand margin, and the cipher from the line having the same inserted number in the right-hand blank spaces. l

By means of these tables with the permanent printed lines or columns of figures and the correspondiu g inserted lines or columns, which may be written in an almost endless variety of permutations7 a great variety of ciphers may be constructed from my tables,which occupy only four pages of a letter-sheet.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A table or tables from which cryptograms with keys therefor may be constructed,'con sisting of columns of letters, igures,words, or symbols, and corresponding .lines or columns of numerals or figures above or at one side, together with blank spaces, in Which other `independent numerals or figures may be inserted, substantially as herein described.

JOHN L. YWINNEA. Vitnesses:

FERDINAND VilssAUL'r, F. I. VnssULr. 

